Secret Vampire (Night World, #1)

Mar 12, 2009 Abigail rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Teens Who Like Romantic Vampire Fiction

Shelves: childrens-fiction, childrens-fantasy, vampires-werewolves

Review Temporarily Removed.

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Jul 14, 2009 Phoebe added it

Shelves: kiddie-lit, long-lost-loves, phreminism, horror

I loved L.J. Smith when I was a teenager. Even then, it was a slightly guilty love--she was the only author besides the much more serious Cynthia Voigt that I actually read out of the YA section of our local public library. Her book covers, emblazoned with embracing couples, bad haircuts, and black flowers, were pretty cheesy--and screamed "girl book!" Nevertheless, I adored the Dark Visions series as well as the Night World books, which were all about interspecies relationships between traditio...more I loved L.J. Smith when I was a teenager. Even then, it was a slightly guilty love--she was the only author besides the much more serious Cynthia Voigt that I actually read out of the YA section of our local public library. Her book covers, emblazoned with embracing couples, bad haircuts, and black flowers, were pretty cheesy--and screamed "girl book!" Nevertheless, I adored the Dark Visions series as well as the Night World books, which were all about interspecies relationships between traditional horror villains (vampires, werewolves, and witches), albeit young and sexy traditional horror villains, and their human partners.

I felt a familiar shame when I picked up all nine of the Night World books in three volumes for about twenty dollars at the local Wal-mart. My fiance snickered at me, but I reminded him, like a good scholar of YA, that the reading tastes of teenagers, even teenage girls, are perfectly valid and worth exploring.

(I couldn't really defend the fact that we were in Wal-mart, of course.)

And the first Night World novel, Secret Vampire is definitely a worthwhile read. I remember Smith's prose as being easy to swallow, and it is; her writing is largely clean, efficient, and unpretentious. However, I also remembered her prose getting a bit purple when the physical traits of the main characters are involved, and that's definitely the case. Even characters with dish-water blond hair (and there aren't many of them--red-heads, raven-haired divas, and luminescent gold-headed girls abound) are described as looking gorgeous and sparkling and somehow perfect. Smith, at least, is an equal opportunity cheese-writer. Both men and women are given ice-blue eyes, dagger smiles, smoldering hair, perfect figures.

In this first novel of the Night World series, we're introduced to the universe through the eyes of Poppy North (no wonder I liked this series), an elvin-looking girl whose buoyant spirit is trounced by cancer. She discovers that her best friend from childhood is not just a vampire, but her soulmate. He breaks all the rules of the Night World to turn her into a vampire and save her life.

It has to be said: scenes between James and Poppy are only nominally not-porn. Descriptions of blood sucking (complete with interruptions by parents and siblings) are redolent of traditional depictions of high school necking. I guess that's a lot of the appeal here--there's plenty of titillation without true sex. These scenes are exactly all purity balls and roses, though. Sex--sorry, drinking blood--is a dangerous, scary, exciting, but incredibly tempting activity in Smith's world. I think it's a strength of her books, rather than a weakness, that she deals with sexual subtext in the nuanced and complicated manner that it affects real teenagers.

I'm less happy with Poppy as a heroine generally in this novel. She's not exactly a feminist stand-out--instead, she's helpless. Every action of her life is decided by the men (James, her brother) who surround her. When she finally does something that seems dictated by independent thought, in leaving James, it's only at his male cousin's prodding, and ultimately her vampy soulmate has to come save her. In Secret Vampire we're told, again and again, how strong Poppy is. It's a shame that Smith's writing doesn't support that characterization.(less)

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Apr 30, 2013 Sunny rated it 4 of 5 stars

Poppy is petite, pretty and has pancreatic cancer. Then her lifelong friend (and secret love) James tells her he is a vamp and he can save her life if she turns into one.

I loved this story. It is such a sweet love story. I thought I was 16 again and me being 37, that is hard to do. I think L J Smith has a talent for writing. Definitely, this is one to keep on your shelf at home.

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Nov 05, 2009 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Anyone - instead of Twilight

Recommended to Elizabeth by: Abigail A.

Shelves: 2009, in-by-of-the-americas, reviewed, vamps-and-other-mythical-beasts, fantasy-sci-fi

I'm not sure that there is anything else I can say about:

1. Vampires/Vampyres (sparkly, non-sparkly, bloodsuckers, non-bloodsuckers, and combination thereof);
2. Vampire stories (traditional, modern, closely modeled on classic romances, playing on modern socio-political issues, etc.);
3. Women in vampire stories (these are always told in the first person, it's just a question of how stupid the protagonist is, and how dreadful her taste in clothes);
4. Vampire story authors (hang ups about sex, reli...more

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Jun 10, 2011 Tania rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-own, young-adult, french-books

Avis sur mon blog: http://read-listen-feel.skyrock.com

Après Le journal d'un vampire, je me suis lancée dans cette nouvelle série de L. J. Smith. Je dois vous avertir immédiatement, c'est le livre que j'ai lu le plus rapidement de toute ma vie. J'ai dévoré ce livre en à peine une soirée, et une partie de nuit. Ce n'est peut-être pas le meilleur roman que j'aie lu, mais il a au moins le mérite de m'avoir captivé le temps d'une soirée.
Dès la première phrase de ce roman, on apprend que Poppy va mou...more Avis sur mon blog: http://read-listen-feel.skyrock.com

Après Le journal d'un vampire, je me suis lancée dans cette nouvelle série de L. J. Smith. Je dois vous avertir immédiatement, c'est le livre que j'ai lu le plus rapidement de toute ma vie. J'ai dévoré ce livre en à peine une soirée, et une partie de nuit. Ce n'est peut-être pas le meilleur roman que j'aie lu, mais il a au moins le mérite de m'avoir captivé le temps d'une soirée.
Dès la première phrase de ce roman, on apprend que Poppy va mourir. Poppy a un cancer incurable, et elle doit donc se préparer au pire. Mais c'est sans compter sur James, sont meilleur ami de toujours pour qui Poppy a des sentiments plus fort que de la simple amitié. Lorsque James apprend la terrible nouvelle, il décide de transgresser les règles et de révéler son terrible secret à Poppy, pour qui il a aussi des sentiments. James fera donc tout en sont pouvoir pour sauver sa belle d'une mort certaine et la garder auprès de lui au-delà de la mort. La tâche ne sera pas facile puisque Phil, le frère jumeau de Poppy, n'accepte pas des les voir aussi proches alors qu'il sait que sa soeur ne sera bientôt plus de ce monde.
Il s'agit là d'un roman tout ce qu'il y a de plus simple et facile à lire. On entre très vite dans l'histoire sans nécessairement le vouloir ou l'avoir cherché. Cela se fait tout naturellement. Un bon point pour l'auteur, selon moi.
Les personnages sont intéressants, mais pas non plus extraordinaires. C'est du déjà vu, et on peut parfois regretter de ne pas approfondir un peu plus leur histoire. On ne fait que les survoler sans en révéler plus. Petite déception de ce côté, même si on ne peut pas vraiment en vouloir à l'auteure.
L'idée du Night World est très intéressante par contre. On sent qu'il y a énormément de mystère et d'interdits qui l'entourent, et c'est ce qui fait qu'on veut en savoir plus. Ce premier roman de la série qui en comptera dix n'est donc qu'une introduction, je l'espère. J'espère également avoir l'occasion de plonger plus en profindeur dans le Night World, découvrir les créatures qu'on peut y trouver.
Une lecture pour les amateurs d'histoires fantastiques et d'amour.(less)

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Jul 26, 2010 Arlene rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal, read-2010, vampires, weres-shifters, witches-wizards, ya-paranormal, young-adult

Rating Clarification: 3.5 Stars

As I eagerly await for the next installment of my fave vampire series, I decided to pick up The Night World by L.J. Smith to get my healthy dose of paranorm. I wasn’t amazed with the first book in the series, but I can’t say that I was disappointed either. The characters in this story are not entirely captivating, but I was interested enough in the storyline and plot to plow through and see where it took me.

My favorite character in this book is Phil because I like...more Rating Clarification: 3.5 Stars

As I eagerly await for the next installment of my fave vampire series, I decided to pick up The Night World by L.J. Smith to get my healthy dose of paranorm. I wasn’t amazed with the first book in the series, but I can’t say that I was disappointed either. The characters in this story are not entirely captivating, but I was interested enough in the storyline and plot to plow through and see where it took me.

My favorite character in this book is Phil because I like his reaction to the situations he faces and his protective stance over his twin sister Poppy. I wasn’t too impressed with James because he came across rather harsh and at times somewhat hostile, especially during his interactions with Phil. Poppy is a likeable character, I just wish the author would have picked a less distracting name for her because it reminds me of an endearment someone would use for their father, but that’s beside the point.

Anywho, about the book… The Night World is a secret society made up of vampires, werewolves, witches and shape shifters that live among humans and follow strict rules. But as with most rules, some are made to be broken, and that’s exactly what happens when Poppy, a human girl, is diagnosed with a deadly form of cancer, and James, her lifelong friend who happens to be a vampire from the Night World makes a choice to break the two rules he is obligated to live by in order to save her life… (1) Never allow humans to gain knowledge of the Night World, and (2) Never fall in love with one of them.

I will definitely continue on with the series to see where it goes because I’d like to learn more about L.J. Smith’s lore on vampires and all of the other paranormal creatures that make up her Night World. I’m also interested to see what happens to James and Poppy as Poppy begins to uncover her powers and past and James faces the repercussions of his decision. This will definitely keep me entertained until I get my hot little hands on Ghost Town.(less)

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May 11, 2008 Jennifer Wardrip rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: trt-posted-reviews, jens-personal-read

Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

Poppy North is a typical sixteen-year old--she gets through school by being smarter than her teachers; likes to irritate her straight-laced twin brother, Phil; listens to New Age and techno music; has a secret crush on her best friend, James; and wakes up on the first morning of summer vacation before her senior year of high-school with nothing more paramount on her mind than what she can do with an entire summer spent with James.

Until the pain in her abdomen,...more Reviewed by Me for TeensReadToo.com

Poppy North is a typical sixteen-year old--she gets through school by being smarter than her teachers; likes to irritate her straight-laced twin brother, Phil; listens to New Age and techno music; has a secret crush on her best friend, James; and wakes up on the first morning of summer vacation before her senior year of high-school with nothing more paramount on her mind than what she can do with an entire summer spent with James.

Until the pain in her abdomen, which has steadily been increasing, working its way around to her back, keeping her awake at night, and causing her to lose weight, sends her to the doctor. Who then sends her to the hospital for tests. Where doctors then inform her that she has pancreatic cancer--the kind that will kill you within three weeks to three months.

Poppy, of course, isn't ready to die. Watching the reaction of her family--twin brother Phil, her mother, and step-father Cliff--only brings the truth closer to home. Poppy is going to die, there's nothing anyone can do about it, and it's going to be painful.

Except there is someone who can do something about it. James Rasmussen, her best friend from El Camino High School, her secret crush, a boy who now tells her something impossible--he's a lamia, a boy who was born a vampire, a member of the Night World, and he can change Poppy into a vampire to avoid certain death.

Of course Poppy doesn't believe him at first, but then what choice does she have? There's always been something different about James, and now she knows exactly what the difference is. So she agrees to become a vampire, knowing she'll have to leave her family behind, but knowing it's the only way to avoid certain death.

What follows is a fast-moving, interesting story about Poppy's immersion into becoming a vampire, the toll it takes on her brother, Phil, who finds out what they're doing, and the danger it puts James in. Because there are only two rules of the Night World: Never let the humans know it exists, and never fall in love with one of them. James has broken both of those rules.

What a great start to the Night World series! Towards the end of the book we meet some other interesting characters, which I'm guessing will play major roles in future books, so I can't wait to get started on the next read. (less)

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Apr 03, 2012 Michèle Beck rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Poppy (oui, Poppy !!) est amoureuse en secret de son meilleur ami James, depuis toujours. C'est les vacances, avec toutes ses promesses de doigts de pied en éventail sur la plage avec James, tout est parfait, mais Poppy a des douleurs au ventre et, inquiète, sa maman lui fait consulter le docteur... pour apprendre que Poppy est condamnée, qu'il ne lui reste que quelques semaines à vivre.

C'est bien sûr le choc pour tout le monde, surtout pour James, qui lui aussi l'aime en secret (comme c'est mig...more

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Feb 23, 2010 David Pimenta rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2-stars, planeta-editora

O Vampiro Secreto, o primeiro volume da série Mundo da Noite, conta a história de Poppy quando lhe é diagnosticado cancro do pâncreas em estado terminal e o seu melhor amigo e apaixonado James, destroçado perante tal acontecimento concede-lhe a possibilidade de viver para sempre transformando-a em vampira. No entanto isso, significa violar as leis do Mundo da Noite. São elas: os humanos nunca devem saber da existência do Mundo da Noite e os que pertencem a este mundo não devem apaixonar-se por h...more

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Oct 02, 2011 Rhylee rated it 3 of 5 stars

Secret Vampire by L. J. Smith

The first day of summer should be exciting, a day in which three whole months lay before you. But for 16 year old Poppy it won’t be quite the same. Diagnosed with a incurable cancer, Poppy now has less than the summer left to live. Luckily, her best friend and secret crush, James hides a secret. One that could save her or kill her faster.

The Night World is a secret society of vampires, witches, shifters and, werewolves.They only have two laws:
1)Never let humans k...more

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Sep 14, 2011 Bibliotropic rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. For being written over a decade ago, this book actually holds up quite well to the test of time. The details it gives about the medicine and medical practices of the time are vague enough in most cases to not raise eyebrows among teens who are reading this for the first time in the rereleased anthologies. And it is an interesting introduction to the Night World, which will grow deeper and more complex and the series continues.

However, I must say that it really helps to know that in advance. Even...more For being written over a decade ago, this book actually holds up quite well to the test of time. The details it gives about the medicine and medical practices of the time are vague enough in most cases to not raise eyebrows among teens who are reading this for the first time in the rereleased anthologies. And it is an interesting introduction to the Night World, which will grow deeper and more complex and the series continues.

However, I must say that it really helps to know that in advance. Even if vampire fiction wasn't in vogue right now, as a standalone story, Secret Vampire would be seen as pretty lackluster. The concept of the Night World is an interesting premise, but the threat behind the worldwide secret society really isn't felt, though it is mentioned plenty of times. The writing style is fine, if a bit unpolished. The characters don't exactly pop. Today, there are so many books lining the shelves that would not only compete but completely overtake this novel that I think it would have trouble getting anywhere if it were pitched to an agent or publisher. "Make it longer, elaborate instead of hinting, and maybe try for a trilogy instead of a longer series."

That being said, though, it was pretty good for the late 90s, when YA paranormal fiction was in much shorter supply, and the majority of new books being written for that age group were noteworthy if they had more than 200 pages. I was excited to discover this book, because decent vampire fiction was tough to come by at the time. The same can't be said of today.

This book also suffers heavily from the whole "teens in a vacuum" issue that occurs a lot in popular media. If you believe books and TV, teenagers get way more say in how the world works than they really do. In Secret Vampire, one character advises the brother of a dying girl not to let the funeral home embalm her, since he plans to turn her into a vampire. How a teenage boy is supposed to do this is never explained. It wasn't even, "Convince your parents she didn't want to be embalmed," or, "I'll come over and hypnotize people so it doesn't happen," (which is what he did, in the end), but no, it was expected that the teenage brother could handle it, realism be hanged.

And yes, I am mentioning realism in a story about a secret society of vampires, witches, and werewolves. The world still works the way it works, and that's the kind of thing that can't just be handwaved if you want to portray things in a realistic fashion. Of course, that isn't a fault of the book not holding up against time. Modern media does that too. And in worse ways, sometimes. But it was worth mentioning.

As far as things stand now, I might recommend these books to somebody younger than the original target audience, since the age group these books were intended for now has access to far more, and better. But as far as nostalgia goes, the book still holds up fairly well to my fond memories of it. Knowing the rest of the series helps, certainly; if I'd only ever read this one book, I might have dismissed it out of hand and not bothered rereading it. I do enjoy the rest of the series more, though, once we get into the real meat of the story.(less)

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Jun 06, 2010 Honistie rated it 2 of 5 stars

As an adult I rated this as a 2 star. The story had potential and the characters are likable. Poppy was well developed and we learned about James as we read the book. Phil, Poppy’s twin brother acted in many ways that any brother who cared for his sister would act. Phil also did some things a sane person would not if the situations were real. I feel the mother and step-father should have played a bigger role in the story. It was like they were there only because Poppy is a teenager and they HAD...more As an adult I rated this as a 2 star. The story had potential and the characters are likable. Poppy was well developed and we learned about James as we read the book. Phil, Poppy’s twin brother acted in many ways that any brother who cared for his sister would act. Phil also did some things a sane person would not if the situations were real. I feel the mother and step-father should have played a bigger role in the story. It was like they were there only because Poppy is a teenager and they HAD to be there.
From a teenager point of view the brother was brave and amazing, maybe a little too involved but acceptable. The lack of parents except during important stuff (Poppy’s diagnosis) was acceptable and enjoyable.
As an adult I was a little board with the book. I was a little more than half way into the book and I thought there was not going to be any action with the little amount of pages I have left to read. Once the action started, it moved so fast the book was over. Questions were left unanswered, one I thought was important to the story. What was the dream about?
From a teenager point of view, the book probably moved quickly and exactly how it should have. The end of the book explanation is probably accepted with no questions left over.
As someone who reads many vampire stories, it is the typical male vampire/ female human love story. I saw some similarities with this series and newer released vampire series. Some examples of this are character similarities (vampires going outside during the day) and even character names (Quinn, Claudine, and Eric). I will say Eric might not be anything as it is a common name but it was pretty odd considering the other two names. It makes me wonder if the other two authors read this story before writing their own series.
As a mother, I like is how L.J. Smith wrote about Poppy being in love with James but did not make or imply they had a sexual relationship. Young teens are faced with enough sexual media that it is nice to have one talk about emotions. In my personal opinion James should have been a little more aggressive considering he is a vampire and all.
(less)

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Feb 20, 2010 Fbeatriz rated it 3 of 5 stars

Este livro traz-nos mais uma alternativa ao mundo dos vampiros. Desta vez eles coexistem secretamente entre os humanos, de quem bebem sangue sem que os matem, apagando-lhes essa memória, podendo andar à luz do sol, apenas perdendo os seus "poderes" enquanto vampiros. Só tem o seu conhecimento o "Mundo da Noite", onde se incluem os vampiros, lobisomens e bruxos que vivem misturados com os humanos, mas que se identificam entre si com base num código identificativo.
Este primeiro volume desta nova s...more

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Nov 29, 2009 Leeanna rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: i-own

Night World #1: Secret Vampire, by L. J. Smith

I first discovered the Night World series when I was about 10 or 11; I can't remember which. I devoured them then; I've always been fascinated with the supernatural, vampires and werewolves and witches oh my. Now, rereading the series a decade later, I'm happy to find that my nostalgia for the books is valid, as I'm enjoying them this second go around as much as I did the first time.

"Secret Vampire" tells the tale of Poppy, a 16 year old who starts h...more Night World #1: Secret Vampire, by L. J. Smith

I first discovered the Night World series when I was about 10 or 11; I can't remember which. I devoured them then; I've always been fascinated with the supernatural, vampires and werewolves and witches oh my. Now, rereading the series a decade later, I'm happy to find that my nostalgia for the books is valid, as I'm enjoying them this second go around as much as I did the first time.

"Secret Vampire" tells the tale of Poppy, a 16 year old who starts her summer vacation in a rather dismal way: with a diagnosis of incurable pancreatic cancer. A summer that promised to be full of music, hanging out with friends, and just generally having a good time will turn into 3 months or less of pain and agony...but luckily for Poppy, her best
friend James has a secret.

James is a vampire, part of the Night World. The Night World is a secret society of all sorts of supernatural creatures and they have two rules: 1) Never tell humans about the Night World, and 2) Never fall in love with a human. To break these rules is to risk death; but James is more than willing to risk his life, especially after he
discovers Poppy is his soulmate.

All Night World books carry a common theme: the protagonist is always a female teenager, always someone a bit different from all those around her. In each book the protagonist finds her soulmate.

I remember when I was much younger and reading these books. I wanted to *be* the protagonist. I wanted to be a part of the Night World - and who wouldn't want to be? Smith has a gift for writing fiction that speaks to the reader, and makes the reader identify with the main characters. Poppy and James connect in a mental way when he is transforming her into a vampire, a way that makes words seem bulky and useless for real communication. Even though I know life isn't like that, it's still magical to see it done nicely in fiction. And still makes me wish it were possible.

The Night World series has recently been republished in a collection of omnibuses, which makes it a great pickup. The next installment in the series, which I have been waiting for for over a decade, will be published in 2010, which makes this the perfect time to leap into Smith's secret society. "Secret Vampire" is an excellent kickoff to the series, and introduces readers to some of the particulars of the Night World, as well as to two great characters.

My only issues with this book are that it's a little dated, due to being first published in 1996. You don't dial in to the Internet anymore, etc.; but that's just me nitpicking. Also it's a somewhat quick read; I finished the entire book in about 90 minutes or less. But that also makes it a nice diversion that won't take you a week to enjoy.

4/5.(less)

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Sep 25, 2012 Vera rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Como fã acérrima de vampiros, aqui fica a minha opinião sobre esse volume I da Saga Mundo da Noite.

A história resumida:
Poppy, uma adolescente em férias como tantas outras entra de férias e com estas veio a noticia de que tinha um cancro no Pâncreas e que mais dia, menos dia morreria, uma vez que o cancro já se tinha espalhado. Com essa noticia, veio uma revelação assombrosa para Poppy. O seu melhor amigo desde os 5 anos de idade, James, era um vampiro e sempre o tinha sido. Com o intuito de salv...more Como fã acérrima de vampiros, aqui fica a minha opinião sobre esse volume I da Saga Mundo da Noite.

A história resumida:
Poppy, uma adolescente em férias como tantas outras entra de férias e com estas veio a noticia de que tinha um cancro no Pâncreas e que mais dia, menos dia morreria, uma vez que o cancro já se tinha espalhado. Com essa noticia, veio uma revelação assombrosa para Poppy. O seu melhor amigo desde os 5 anos de idade, James, era um vampiro e sempre o tinha sido. Com o intuito de salvar Poppy, a quem ele tanto amava sem poder revelar o que sentia, desvenda-lhe o seu segredo e na hora da morte, salva-a e transforma-a em vampira, com a ajuda do irmão gémeo de Poppy, Phil. Entretanto, eis que surge Ash, primo de James. Um vampiro cruel e sádico que pretende colocar a nú a toda a comunidade Mundo da noite que James tinha quebrado as regras em três pontos: 1º não se podia revelar a um humano; 2º Não se podia apaixonar por um humano e 3º não podia transformar um humano sem consulta prévia a um Ancião. Quando Ash leva Poppy com a desculpa de que assim ela poderia resguardar James da morte, James e Phil fazem de tudo para a encontrar e quando o fazem, dão-se conta de mais uma noticia que lhe vai mudar o presente e o futuro e explicar muito do que havia acontecido no passado. Phil e Poppy eram descendentes de feiticeiros, sem o saberem, e por isso tanto Poppy como Phil tinham poderes que antes não tinham explicação. Liam mentes.

A minha opinião:

É uma história leve e indicada a todos os tipos de leitores, uma vez que apesar de ser uma história de vampiros, não é de todo, violenta. Mantém-se o básico que se conhece sobre vampiros: A madeira pode matá-los, mais concretamente, uma estaca de madeira no coração. O lume também pode matá-los. O sol enfraquece-os, apesar de não os queimar, como se lê em tantos livros de vampiros. Possuem muito mais força, poderes e, em tratando-se de lâmias (vampiros que nasceram vampiros) têm o poder de envelhecerem se e quando quiserem, coisa que os vampiros transformados não podem fazer. Um história de dois adolescentes que são os melhores amigos desde pequenos e que se amam, embora nunca tenham dito nada um ao outro. A fase da transformação de Poppy será talvez a fase que mais nos empolga porque não sabemos ao certo como ela vai reagir quando acordar do transe em que James a coloca. E depois tem o eterno irmão que adora a irmã, ainda mais sendo gémeos.

A história acaba com a noticia que tanto Phil como Poppy pertencem já ao Mundo da Noite porque são feiticeiros, o que faz com que James deixe de correr perigo por ter quebrado 3 das regras da Gente da Noite, uma vez que, na realidade, Phil e Poppy também não são humanos normais.

Mais uma boa história de vampiros que não roça, nem de longe, nem de perto, o ridículo e o obsceno.

Recomendo!(less)

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Jan 04, 2013 Simone rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012, vampires, paranormal

3,5 hviezdičky

Táto séria začína celkom inak. Nečakajte nič na spôsob upírskych denníkov. Žiaden stopäťdesiatročný upír zmietaný bolesťou so svojej existencie, čo stretne svoju najväčšiu lásku a musí čeliť príšerným okolnostiam prichystaných osudom. (cítite moju iróniu?)Nie, nič také. Čakajte čosi prozaickejšie. Obyčajné dievča s obyčajným životom. A smrteľnou chorobou.

Čo si od toho sľubovať? Stefana nie, a ľutujem, ani Edwarda. Niekoho lepšieho. Jamesa. Premena je posledná možnosť, ale v tomto...more

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Dec 22, 2012 Madalena rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Depois de ler tantas histórias com vampiros e seres sobrenaturais eis que chego a esta coleção de livros da autora L. J. Smith. Não posso dizer que seja uma grande fã da saga Crónicas Vampíricas, não sei porquê mas não lhe acho piada nenhuma. Mas comecei a ler este primeiro livro com alguma expectativa. Que foi um pouco uma desilusão, diga-se.
O livro tem uma escrita super fluída, lê-se muito bem num dia ou pouco mais. Mas para quem está habituado a livros como a Irmandade da Adaga Negra, ou livr...more

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Sep 21, 2012 Maja (The Rambling Readerista) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Review on my blog The Rambling Readerista

This is not a bad book. Yes, I know, not the perfect sentence to start a review, but still. The book is not bad, but it is not a read that has left me with that "wow-feeling". I like the story well enough, L.J. Smith is a generous author, providing with a great background story. She gives as a world of vampires, witches, werewolves and humans, all interwoven together in some way.

Since this is my first L.J. Smith read, I am not quite fitting to judge the a...more

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Nov 28, 2011 Babi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Vampiro Secreto - L.j. Smith | http://tintapink.blogspot.com

Mundo Das Sombras é um livro que eu estava querendo ler faz tempo, aí, como estamos em clima de dia das Bruxas, resolvi ler esse livro de uma das minhas autoras favoritas, Lisa Jane Smith, então comecei a leitura esperando algo muuuuuito diferente e inovador, algo diferente de Diários do vampiro e algo diferente em geral, o livro é muito bom,MAS é como se fosse Diários do Vampiro com novas regras, não que eu não tenha gostado, gostei ma...more

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Apr 15, 2012 Francesca rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya, paranormal-romance

I'm going through and re-reading the Night World series, and this is the first one. I originally read them out of order (I started with book two, Daughters of Darkness and skipped around from there), so I appreciate more now how the world is set up for the reader and how the soon-to-be major characters are introduced. I still don't feel like enough of the world is established in this book. It needs more meat. The writing is okay, but I enjoyed the story more once I focused on the events over ho...more

I'm going through and re-reading the Night World series, and this is the first one. I originally read them out of order (I started with book two, Daughters of Darkness and skipped around from there), so I appreciate more now how the world is set up for the reader and how the soon-to-be major characters are introduced. I still don't feel like enough of the world is established in this book. It needs more meat. The writing is okay, but I enjoyed the story more once I focused on the events over how they're told.

It's one of my lesser favorites in the series, and I'm basically re-reading it because I bought the three omnibus' currently in print---it came out to 3 1/3 dollars a book so I went for it.

It's not a bad book, but it doesn't do much for me. I hope the other ones live up to my memory.

(less)

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Jul 07, 2010 Jessica rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasyscifi, romantic, vampires, youngadult

A friend recommended this book and I immediately requested it from Paperbackswap.com.

Interesting story. On the very first day of summer vacation, 16-year-old Poppy was told she was going to die. And die painfully. She had an incurable cancer. But James, her very best friend in the world could save Poppy. First, he has to break a few rules, like telling her that he wasn't an average teenager, but a vampire, a member of the Night World. Then he wants to turn her into a vampire. While it will save...more

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Jan 17, 2010 Ozimandias rated it 3 of 5 stars

L.J. Smith is also the author of The Vampire Diaries, which, not surprisingly, is very similar to what occurs in this series of stories. In the first, we meet a girl, Poppy North, who is left with little choice in becoming a vampire. Her best friend and love of her life is a lamia, a born vampire, and he is willing to do the job. Poppy's brother Phil is suspicious and protective, a Jacob-like character from that other series, and Ash, James the vampire's cousin, is evil and loyal to Night World...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Holly Letson rated it 4 of 5 stars

Having read some of the the NW books over a decade ago originally, I wasn't exactly thrilled to jump back into the series, and start it over again now. But, every book series deserves to be read its' entirity, and this one is no exception, so here I am, reading it from the start. 1 book down, and 8 to go.

L.J. Smith is an excellent writer...Let's let that be known from the start. And, what drew me into her books nearly 2 decades ago as a 12-yr.-old girl still draws me into her books as an almost...more Having read some of the the NW books over a decade ago originally, I wasn't exactly thrilled to jump back into the series, and start it over again now. But, every book series deserves to be read its' entirity, and this one is no exception, so here I am, reading it from the start. 1 book down, and 8 to go.

L.J. Smith is an excellent writer...Let's let that be known from the start. And, what drew me into her books nearly 2 decades ago as a 12-yr.-old girl still draws me into her books as an almost 31-yr.-old woman.... her ability to write the kind of story that grabs your attention and keep it, no matter how slow the story can be at times.

*Secret Vampire* is the story of a nosy teenaged girl named Poppy, who finds out that she has pancreatic cancer, which is in the 3rd (and most fatal) stage. Turns out this disease is incurable, and has a high fatality rate. Poppy realizes she is going to die. Much as she dislikes this fact, she comes to a strange sort of terms with it, but never truly accepts the fact that she only has between 3 weeks and 3 months to live. But, this book isn't a Lurlene McDaniel book, so of course, Poppy has other chances to do a different sort of "living".

Re-enter James, the childhood friend. Poppy has known him, since age 5, and has had a crush on him for pretty much all of her life. But, her brother, Phil, doesn't approve of her spending time with James for 2 reasons..... 1. Poppy is sick, and dying, and James's sudden interest in her seems really suspicious AND 2. James is a well-known playboy, who goes through girlfriends quicker than most of us bookaholics go through books. But, like most sisters, Poppy completely disregards what her brother says and makes it a point to be with James, even in secret.

Perhaps, that is best, for awhile. For, what James wants to do with/to Poppy is best done alone. But, as destiny always permits, little brother walks in and catches sister and James in a compromising position, and blows it out of proportion.

James sulks for a few days, and Poppy keeps requesting red liquids as foods. But, none of this makes sense to Phil until James finally decides it's best to let Phil in on what is going down. There's no chance that brother Phil would be excited that his sister, Poppy, is being turned into a vampire. But, he does come to terms with the fact that this is the only way anyone can help her to completely beat her medical issues. So, Phil plays peacemaker, and encourages them to proceed with the process.

Everything goes off without a problem....from the death to the reawakening as her new being. Phil is told he can no longer be a part of Poppy's "life", but he keeps being drawn back into it due to circumstances that him and James cannot control.

The inevitable happens when Poppy is left alone in James's apartment when his cousin, Ash, is due to arrive. Instead of staying there to protect Poppy, James runs off to find family to have them cancel Ash's visit. But, while he is gone, Ash arrives to his place, only to find Poppy alone. Ash makes quick work of brainwashing her into believing that she would be endangering James by staying there, and she agrees to run off with Ash to a "safer" place with his witch cousins.

James arrives to find her gone, with a note from her stating that Ash took her to a "safer" place to keep from endagering James's life as the only clue. So, he enlists Phil's help in finding her. Upon thinking a bit, James realizes that Ash must have taken her to the witch cousins in Las Vegas, so they head off there.

Meanwhile, a bit of a scuffle happens between Poppy and Ash, and she tells him off. But, he still takes her to the Litha Party that the witches are throwing to celebrate Summer Solstice. But, as expected, James arrives, and takes Poppy back. Phil comes in, and the vampire instincts kick in for James and Ash until Ash tells Poppy and Phil that they need to take a long look into their family tree. Turns out that they are both witches, from relatives on the paternal side of their family. Phil proclaims that he wants nothing to do with the Night World or witches, and James explains that this is alright, and that such is his decision.

Then, Poppy and James decide it'd be best for them to go live with Poppy's father, so they set off to do so. They also then decide that there is no point in hiding their love (or the fact that they are soulmates) any longer, since they had both always been a part of the Night World even before Poppy's "turning", since she has always been a witch.(less)

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Nov 15, 2011 Macjest rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

This is the first book in the Night World Series. Amber recommended the link a long time ago to a free download. I "finally" got around to reading it. Very similar to Twilight; I believe it is intended for the same age group. This book is not written from the "I/me" point of view like Twilight was, so if that bothered you, this book might be more up your alley.
Vampires, witches, and werewolves are all around us, we just don't know it. There are strict rules governing them. They are not allowed...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book was nice.It wasn't amazing and sometimes it was rather cliché.I felt like somethings were rushed and left unexplained, so why the hell am I giving it a 4 stars rating?
The answer: the death/funeral scene
I just lost a friend and he's funeral was really sad. While reading that part of the book it reminded me of all the pain I saw in his family eyes, I couldn't help but imagine if Poppy's mom felt the same way my friend's mom did and imagining that made me very emotional.
Maybe that part of...more

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May 26, 2012 Trinity rated it 4 of 5 stars

I have to say I was actually impressed with this novel. After being completely underwhelmed by The Vampire Diaries series I was apprehensive to start this one. However, I believe LJ Smith really knocked it out if the ballpark with this one.
Poppy is a 16 year old girl who is completely bubbly and full of life. She has a loving family and friends that adore her. Her life is perfect in so many ways... Until she is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Her life quickly goes on a downward spiral.
All of...more

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Dec 17, 2012 Abby Pope rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

These books, even now, hold a special place in my heart. They are warming, innocent, loving yet brave. They face subjects that everyone sees throughout thier life like heartbreak, love, loss and growing up. It touches you in a unique way and sees love in a young but fresh ideal, and not just making the females of the series head-over-heels for the men. They are strong, feisty and powerful as well as clever and indepentlty minded, which are the kind of traits I find interesting to read. Nothing i...more

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Mar 03, 2010 Eden Celeste rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-modern

Enjoyable but forgettable. This is yet another book in a long list of teenage-vampire romances. The main character, Poppy, has a best friend who is a secret vampire and when she finds that she has an incurable disease he reveals his secret and offers to make her like him. Then there are the impediments: the protective brother, the evil vampire cousin, the "nightworld" - the secret society of non-humans, and tons of teenaged angst.

While I would have loved this as a teenager, I find that as an adu...more

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Jul 30, 2011 Merve Özcan rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampire

Serinin başlangıç kitabıydı. bayıldığımı gerçekten söyleyemem ya da bu durumda sevdiğimi vakit geçirmek için iyi bir kitaptı. Diğer kitapları neden okuduğumu bende bilmiyorum.

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Jun 01, 2011 Staci Hart rated it 5 of 5 stars

Other than suffering a truly horrible book cover, this book was great! It was a great story, I loved Poppy, the dialogue was fantastically charming, and I got super sucked in.

That these books were written about teens 15 years ago, I was really surprised that it didn't feel dated. It was dramatic without being forced, and I related to the characters immediately. Maybe it's that I was a teen 15 years ago ;) Either way, this book was a great, brainless summer read and I'd read it again!

Keep in min...more

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Secret Vampire (Night World #1)

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